Quality of soybeans stored under controlled temperature and relative humidity conditions with heat pump technology: A comparison with conventional bag storage

Soybeans are among the most important agricultural commodities in the global scenario, with Brazil standing out in recent years. Storage is a critical stage in the agricultural production chain. During this phase, the product is exposed to external agents and pests for a longer period. Damage during storage, caused by the lack of adequate techniques for temperature and humidity control, results in significant quantitative and qualitative losses. The adoption of storage practices that regulate these parameters is essential for loss reduction. In this context, the objective of this investigation was to compare the quality parameters of soybeans (lipid acidity, physiological quality, and sanitary condition) stored in silos with temperature/humidity control via a heat pump-based automated psychrometric system versus conventional bag storage. All evaluated parameters were better preserved in soybeans stored in the cooled silo. Soybeans stored in the cooled silo exhibited 15% lower lipid acidity and 40% higher germination rates compared to bag storage after8 months. A significant inverse correlation was observed between germination rates and fungal presence, with contamination levels in the bag storage consistently higher than those in the silo throughout the entire experiment. The heat pump is a sustainable solution that contributes as a practical subsidy for the stability of grains stored in tropical regions.